A BBC film crew is in Workington this week to find out more about one of the town’s oldest traditions.
Uppies and Downies is a no-rules mass football game that happens in the town on Good Friday, Easter Tuesday and the following Saturday.
BBC 2 hit show Antiques Road Trip, which is in Cumbria filming, will feature a segment on Uppies and Downies in the autumn.
Presenters David Harper and Hettie Jago met with game stalwarts Joe Clark, Ian Rollason and Elvin Jarvis at the Cloffocks – where the game begins.
Hettie – backing the Uppies – and Elvin visited Workington Hall and David – backing the Downies – with Ian and Joe, were at Workington harbour.
Elvin said “Me and Hettie also visited the Helena Thompson Museum. They learned about the game, the history and importance of why we want the game to continue.
“Me and David Shepherd managed to get some leather and Mark Rawlinson’s ball making tools for the team to have a go at making a ball as well.”
Mr Rawlinson has been making the special leather ball for each game for decades and the winner – who hails the ball at either Workington Hall for the Uppies or Workington harbour for the Downies – gets to keep it.
The film crew is planning to attend Saturday’s game to film it in action, Elvin added.
The first game of this year’s series starts at 6.30pm when the ball is thrown off from the Cloffocks bridge.
We’ll be there all night, bringing you the action as it happens – follow us here!
